Team Canada Appreciation Thread

[newfy 695]

I see alot of people that are talking trash about Canada so I'm startng this thread for the Canadians on here and other people who can respect a good hockey team.

We can appreciate things like Getzlaf laying out Volchenkov after that cheap hit by Staal or how Nash is an absolute beast.

Richards played a hell of a game last night too.

Thoughts?

[syntax 359]

*crickets*

[ShanahanMan 473]

ahem...

[Blaayze 25]

I think Toews has been a beast too.

Everyone who has been ripping Babs for his line changes, but I think we just found our golden ticket.

[bellarina 1]

Starting to smell like gold for Canada. They seem to be finding their grove.

You may hear crickets in some parts of the world but not in Canada.

[Hockey13Playa 240]

Canada has a good team. Due to all the hype and the Olympics being in there homeland, I think there slightly overrated.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

They are finally playing as expected.

[Opie 308]

The loss to the USA will do wonders for them the rest of the way!

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

What they did to Russia was flat-out incredible. I don't know if Canada is just 100% focused and hungrier than ever or if Russia just didn't come to play, but I will say that any American fan (myself being one of them) that isn't scared to face them should we meet again is kidding themselves.

Not only did they beat the team they were expected to play for the gold, they flat-out embarrassed them. As much as I'd love America to win the Gold and even though the US has already beat Canada in these Olympics, that performance truly reiterated that its Canada's Gold to lose.

[redwingfan19 293]

last night we saw the team Steve Yzerman envisioned.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I appreciate Shea Weber having a whale of a game. He was hitting everything that moved and managed to score a timely goal.

And Nash's goal was a great shot!

Morrow had a great game as well. He was full of energy out there.

I wish Ovi would've had some points but at least Feds had a helper last night

[esteef 2,679]

esteef

[zettie85 106]

I don't know why I didn't think of starting this thread, but I'm glad somebody did. We played well and Russians did not. Every other game we have played could have very well been a similar score if it wasn't for their goal tending. We have to ride this momentum because I see Halak having a gigantic game coming up.

[wiszo1mt 7]

last night they played to their potential.

They are star studded line up which any line can produce numbers. Quite a scary team.

That game to the USA really opened their eyes, to that its not going to be a cake walk and that every team is going to fight for the gold. Hope to see a rematch in the finals.

With that being said GO USA!

[MTU_Huskies963 398]

I don't know how much of that russian game was nabby and the russian D sucking it up. Canada played a good game, but the russians really aided that route. If Canada and US meet again it reminds me of the ducks and the wings. I don't think I have ever seen a team block as many shots as the US has. They are not just laying out on the ice they are diving in front of shots. The problem for Canada when they face the US is the problem ever wings goalie has had to face, until this year. They are not facing a lot of shots. For that russian game I think at one point Luo gave up 3 goals on 15 shots.

[zettie85 106]

I don't know how much of that russian game was nabby and the russian D sucking it up. Canada played a good game, but the russians really aided that route. If Canada and US meet again it reminds me of the ducks and the wings. I don't think I have ever seen a team block as many shots as the US has. They are not just laying out on the ice they are diving in front of shots. The problem for Canada when they face the US is the problem ever wings goalie has had to face, until this year. They are not facing a lot of shots. For that russian game I think at one point Luo gave up 3 goals on 15 shots.

If the game was tighter, Canada would have played tighter defence. After the quick start they just wanted to put the dagger in the Russians heart so said f*** defence.

[T-Ruff 47]

Nash-Toews-Richards dominated the Malkin/OV line... great coaching by Babs to replace Morrow on that line with Nash because of the bigger minutes they were going to play.

Too bad that tic tac tic tac toe passing play was saved by Nabokov (the one right before Morrow's goal)... Would've been highlight goal of the Olympics most likely.

Terrible coaching decisions by Bykov... Should've started Bryzgalov for the 2nd when it was 4-1, not so much cuz they were Nabokov's fault, but just to re-engergize the team and in case Nabokov was rattled. Many would say Bryzgalov has played better this season and this tourney anyway. Not to mention Bykov was fine with the matchups which put him down early

Overall it was a great game to watch, nice and easy on my heart and a nice statement for Yzerman's squad.

Edited February 25, 2010 by T-Ruff

[MTU_Huskies963 398]

If the game was tighter, Canada would have played tighter defence. After the quick start they just wanted to put the dagger in the Russians heart so said f*** defence.

Sorry that sounds like another team Babcock coaches could not resist.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

they dominated the russians

and the Nash-Toews-Richards was scary good

[lightthelamp13 0]

They learned a huge lesson from the game vs. the Americans. Who cares how you score your goals? They were way too cute at the start of the tournament, and now they are back to classic Canadian puck. To win big games, you gotta muck. You gotta get dirty, and you can't be afraid to get a bloody nose or lose some teeth while doing it.

Yes, the Russians played terrible defence. But it wasn't because "they have no defence". For the first time in the tournament last night, the Canadians used their SIZE to dominate. They just kept chipping pucks in and went to work. That Morrow/Getzlaf/Perry line was incredible. Just mucked it up and kept the puck below the goal line for MINUTES at a time. They even got a full line-change in a couple times while doing it. That is crazy, and if the Canadians keep doing things like that, nobody will be able to contain them.

There's a reason why, entering the tournament, most countries were worried about the size of the Canadians. About time they started using it.

[The Secret 304]

I see alot of people that are talking trash about Canada so I'm startng this thread for the Canadians on here and other people who can respect a good hockey team.

We can appreciate things like Getzlaf laying out Volchenkov after that cheap hit by Staal or how Nash is an absolute beast.

Richards played a hell of a game last night too.

Thoughts?

The team is coming together quite nicely eh! Took some time but I think most of the kinks have been ironed out. Its a fun team to watch. If we can build on the last 2 wins I think we will have a strong shot at Gold. We can't sit back or take anything for granted thats for sure... every one of the final 4 teams is capable but I have a good feeling about this team and I think they will continue to improve and get stronger. I don't care what anyone says, I think Babcock and company are doing a great job and they seem to have found the winning combinations.

GO CANADA!

[Marty Midnight 0]

I don't know how much of that russian game was nabby ...

Canada played like we all expected Canada to play for the first time in the tournament, but I don't think you can under estimate the effect of the total collapse in goal by that choking shark looser.

That said, Canada is looking good for gold.

Yet, you can't count any team out in a single game scenario, particularly the US (of the three potential opponents). The US defense, back checking, and goal tending aren't likely to loose their focus as massively as the Russians did. Should be a much better game if it comes to pass.

[Guest micah]

I'm not pulling for Canada, but I really enjoyed watching them make fools of the Russian squad. They looked amazing and it was a great game to watch.

[Marty Barry 230]

Canada is THE hockey hotbed. Why, back in the 80's and early 90's they even won the Stanley Cup.

[newfy 695]

Wow I actually saw a couple Americans on here showing some appreciation and thats what I like to see. I like when people don'tlet their hate for a good team blind their judgement and talk about how their D is too slow and blah blah blah.

Anyways I like our chances against Slovakia(didnt expect to see them) especially if we put Toews line on Gaboriks. Is Gaborik playing with hossa or is their scoring spread over 2 lines?